The captain gave the order to abandon ship as the water flooded the lower decks.
The use of several decks is necessary in old pits of small section, where only a single tram can be carried on each.
The number of platforms or decks varies considerably; in small mines only a single one may be used, but in the larger modern pits two-, threeor even four-decked cages are used.
The cage is then lifted by the engine clear of the keeps, which are opened by a lever worked by hand, and the empty tubs start on the return trip. When the cage has several decks, it is necessary to repeat this operation for each, unless there is a special provision made for loading and discharging the tubs at different levels.
It has two decks, and carries two elevated railway tracks, four electric tramcar lines, two carriageways, two footways and two bicycle paths.
